Evanescent light that occurs upon total reflection of light is capable of selectively illuminating only the vicinity of a total reflection interface as well as drastically reducing background light from regions other than an illuminated region. Therefore, a total internal reflection light illumination apparatus using evanescent light is employed in a large number of microscopic observations of an extremely thin object such as cells (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1).
As a microscope employing a total internal reflection light illumination apparatus, a light illumination technique is disclosed where a diffraction diffusion plate is used and thereby evanescent light having all polarization directions in three dimensions is generated and thus a sample can be observed regardless of a direction of the sample (Patent Literature 2). Further, another light illumination technique is disclosed where a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) or the like is used and thereby light of an annular shape is generated, allowing for effective use of evanescent light (Patent Literatures 3 and 4). Furthermore, still another light illumination technique is disclosed where a spatial light modulator and a lens are combined and two light condensing points are provided at arbitrary positions on an incident pupil plane, thereby a surface of a sample is illuminated in a stripe pattern (Non Patent Literature 1).